When setting up a divert in an ACOPOStrak system, there are a two major factors that ensure proper divert behavior 100% of the time. The first factor is the physical alignment of the guide rails in the divert area. Proper rail alignment ensures that shuttles will not encounter any mechanical issues while passing through a divert area.
The second major factor is the balancing of the magnetic forces applied on the shuttles by the segments. When shuttles pass through a divert area, they are subject to the magnetic forces of two opposing segments. If the magnetic force from one segment is much stronger than the force from the other, shuttles can be pulled to the side of the track with the stronger magnetic force. This behavior can cause shuttles to divert when they are not supposed to or to not divert when they are supposed to, and can cause the ACOPOStrak to fault. To correct this unwanted divert behavior, the magnetic forces applied on the shuttles by both segments can be balanced. While the process of magnetic force balancing is well documented in the ACOPOStrak User’s Manual (Pages 292-303 and 446-448), I thought it could be helpful to gather the documentation here.
Here is a guide on the ACOPOStrak magnetic force balancing procedure:
Tools Required:
- Diverter Setup Tool (8F1TCA.DST00100I-1)
- 2 x ACOPOStrak Segment Adjustment Tool (8F1TCA.DSAT0000I-1)
- Torque Wrench 12-16Nm
- 13mm Socket
First, measure and record the magnetic forces on both sides of the divert area:
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Connect the magnetic force measurement shuttle to the display unit
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Place the measurement shuttle on a flat surface with the magnet pack facing up, then power on the display unit
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If the unit does not display 0.0 N, press the Tare button to set the measurement to zero.
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Ensure that no power is being supplied to the segments in the divert area, then place the measurement shuttle on the track.
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Move the measurement shuttle to the divert location. Note that the measurement will not be constant throughout the divert area due to the geometry of the coils, and will vary in a range of 3 to 5 N.
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To compensate for this variation, move the measurement shuttle forward and backward +/- 9 mm for at least 5 seconds, then record the average value shown on the display unit.
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Remove the measurement shuttle, then repeat steps 4-6 with the magnets of the shuttle facing the opposite side of the divert. (NOTE: The measurement shuttle is significantly easier to remove from the track when it is on a curve.)
The nominal measurement in divert areas should be 255 N, with a tolerance of +/- 15 N. The main goal of magnetic force balancing is to adjust the segments so that the force readings on both sides of the divert are within 5 N of each other and within the nominal range (240-270 N). If the forces are not equal, care should be taken to ensure the “greater” force is on the side of the divert that shuttles should favor. For example, the primary loop of a track would be favored over a reject loop that shuttles will not often divert to.
If the measurements taken previously do not meet the specifications mentioned above, the next step is to adjust the magnetic force as follows:
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With the magnetic force measurement shuttle in the divert area, attach the ACOPOStrak Segment Adjustment Tools as shown below:
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Loosen the 6 bolts fastening the segment in the order shown above (top bolts labeled 1, 2, and 3; use the same order for the bottom bolts).
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Using the adjusting levers on the ACOPOStrak Adjustment Tools (labeled “b” above), adjust the position of the segment until the measurement on the display unit is within the nominal range.
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Tighten the bolts fastening the segment in the same order as in step 2, using the proper torque (Top bolts: 16 Nm, Bottom bolts: 12 Nm).
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Remove the ACOPOStrak Segment Adjustment Tools, then note the measurement taken by the measurement shuttle.
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Repeat steps 1-5 on the opposite segment in the divert area, ensuring the final force measurement is within 5 N of the other side.
After performing these adjustments, manually check that shuttles can freely pass through and divert within the divert area. Shuttles should easily divert by hand when applying a small amount of force toward the opposite track.